Crime & Safety
Banbury – Police issue update after taxi crashed into house
As previously reported, a car was smashed into the side of a parked white Peugeot taxi in Woodgreen Avenue.
It then caused the taxi to collide with the house it was parked outside of, leading to significant damage to the bricks.
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Nobody was injured in the crash, but the road was taped off for most of Monday, August 18 last year while officers investigated.
Two people were arrested shortly after the crash, with two more shortly afterwards.
All four of those arrested were released on conditional police bail pending further enquiries by investigating officers.
However, Thames Valley Police have now confirmed that no further action will be taken.
A spokeswoman said: “All those arrested have been released from police custody with no further action to be taken.
“Following a thorough review of all the lines of enquiry available to us in this case, this investigation has now been filed.”
John Oxenham saw the widely shared photos of the bird of prey clutching the baked snack and knew immediately where they’d come from.
The 67-year-old explained that he often leaves food scraps in his and wife Samantha Frewin’s garden in South Newington, and recognised the kite that took them.
Having visited Mrs Frewin’s mother, June, at her home in Kent on Mother’s Day, they returned home with a tub of her homemade sausage rolls.
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Two days later, Mr Oxenham left some of the baked goods out in the garden for the birds.
Then, after arriving in Cornwall for a getaway the following day, the couple came across photos of the kite clutching a snack that looked ever-so-familiar.
Mr Oxenham, a retired commercial pilot, said: “I’m the culprit who put out the sausage rolls.
“We went down to see Sam’s mum in Kent for Mother’s Day, and she gave us a tub of sausage rolls.
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“I put some out for the birds, and that’s when the kite took the sausage roll.
“My wife showed me the pictures and said: ‘This story about the kite is going mad!’.
“You can see it was my mother-in-law’s – they’re pale in colour.”
Mrs Frewin, 47, said she first noticed the photo being shared on Instagram.
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“As soon as I saw the photo, I thought: ‘Oh no… That’s one of my mum’s sausage rolls’,” the retired HMRC worker said.
“Sam showed me the picture,” Mr Oxenham added.
“It was instantly recognisable. I said: ‘That’s our kite with your mum’s sausage roll’.
“I thought I would put the world right on where it came from.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson satisfies controversial rule with Cotswolds pub change
“I’m just glad he wasn’t photographed with some naan bread in its talons… The ravens love their curry!
“At least the red kite found a nice source of food… What would she rather have, a manky mouse or a nice sausage roll?”
Amateur photographer Mark Hopkins snapped the hungry bird of prey in his garden in Ruscote, in Banbury, when the giant bird soared overhead.
Mark, 57, a welder, said: “There are often kites flying over us, but I’ve never seen this before.
READ MORE: Michelin-star chef lands TV role after leaving pub in Cotswolds
“There was one huge red kite that banked up in front of me, and it was clearly holding something in its talons.
“I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but looking at the pictures on my camera, it was obvious it was a sausage roll.
“Whether it had snatched it out of someone’s hand or picked it up off the floor, I don’t know, but it did look fresh.
“It was a remarkable thing to see, and I’m just so happy I had my camera ready at the right time.”
There are an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 breeding pairs of red kites in the UK, with increasing numbers living in urban areas.
Acclaimed Status Quo drummer John Coghlan has been seen for a second time at The Farmer’s Dog pub near Burford.
Last April, the musician was enjoying a drink with his wife and a pal at the watering hole, previously known as The Windmill.
Now, one year on, Mr Coghlan has returned to the venue, which was bought by Mr Clarkson for around £1,000,000 and opened in August 2024.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson satisfies controversial rule with Cotswolds pub change
Mr Coghlan, who lives nearby, posted a photo of himself and his wife Gillie in the terrace area at the back of the pub, drinking a glass of Hawkstone Lager Zero.
Having previously been open to the elements, the decking has since been covered and has sofas from the inside as well as heaters and an outside bar.
Posting on the social media site Facebook, Mr Coghlan said: “Enjoying a 0 per cent at The Farmer’s Dog (Clarkson’s lovely pub).”
In his previous post last year, the rocker said he knew Mr Clarkson and often visited the pub as it is so near to his home.
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“Gillie and I had a jolly evening at The Farmer’s Dog, Jeremy Clarkson’s pub,” he wrote.
The famously moustachioed muso was an original member of the Quo and toured the world as part of the band’s classic line-up at the height of their 1970s fame, selling out venues across the globe and storming the charts.
He was behind the kit on their biggest hits, including Down Down which got to number one in 1975 and Rockin’ All Over The World.
Clarkson’s Farm series five is due to hit streaming service Prime Video next month, one year after the fourth season.
Eight new episodes are expected to be released, once again giving viewers an insight into life at Diddly Squat Farm at Chadlington as well as the Cotswolds pub.
Thames Valley Police has revealed that it carried out a drugs warrant today (Friday, April 17) on Leach Road in Bicester.
This is only a road away from The Bicester School which educates over 1,000 pupils from 11 to 18.
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The police added that investigations in the case are ongoing and encouraged anyone with any information to get in touch with them as soon as possible.
A spokesperson for the Cherwell unit said: “Earlier today, the Bicester and Kidlington Neighbourhood Policing Team carried out a drugs warrant at an address in Leach Road, supported by colleagues from West Oxfordshire and Banbury Neighbourhood Policing Teams.
“Investigations remain ongoing. We continue to encourage our community to report any information or concerns about drug activity.
“Your reports help us target our activity, protect vulnerable people, and reduce drug offences across the area.
READ MORE: Named ‘delivery rider’ pleads guilty after cocaine arrest in Oxfordshire town
“You can either do this online or by telephoning 101. If you don’t wish to speak to police directly, you can also report to Crimestoppers, anonymously and free of charge by calling 0800 555 111.”
This drugs raid follows several recent drugs-related arrests in another Oxfordshire town Wantage.
Earlier this week a man pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A, namely cocaine, having been arrested in the town.
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